


Tears Come From The Heart

by snowzone5



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: AU, F/M, Heavy Angst, Mileven, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-19 18:04:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19978273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowzone5/pseuds/snowzone5
Summary: El has a special [different] ability that she thinks prevents her from having any real friends. She can't let anybody know. It's not safe. Mike Wheeler is the new kid in school. He gets beat up three times on the first day. That's nothing compared to what El does to his heart. Horrible angst before mileven. For mileven fans only. May contain fluff.





	1. Game Over

Time froze.

His heart stopped. Then triple hammered. Then it did a few black flips. Then it stopped again. And finally did a little jumpy thing before racing erratically. He couldn't quite breathe. Couldn't catch his breath, she had taken all the air from the room. His ears were ringing. Sounds faded to a background noise overpowered by the pounding of his heart.

He had just seen her for the first time. His whole world faded out as he looked at her, he thought he would faint. She was all his eyes and heart he could see. She was all his eyes and heart _wanted_ to see.

And she didn't notice him in the slightest.

XXXX

When Mike was a little younger when he had his crush on a girl in his old school. Two old school's ago. She never knew. Nobody knew. He had to keep that to himself, to avoid the foregone humiliation from his friends. From _her_ friends too, he was sure. He tried to hang out with her at recess. It was enough for him to just be in her presence. At least for a little while. Eventually he started thinking dangerously. Dangerous ideas like, what would it be like if they were together? If he could hold hands with her for a few minutes a day?

A few overwhelming obstacles would have to be cleared first of course. She had to notice he was a living, breathing human. That was a big one. She had to know, that he had a crush on her. _Like_ liked her. But that relied on her knowing he was in her plane of existence.

And if by some miracle _those_ two things could be overcome. There was a really big next step.

Somehow she would have to break up with her boyfriend.

That never happened. They were together for two years, eight months and seventeen days. Mike wasn't really keeping track. He often thought about what he'd seen on TV and heard adults say. That teen romance lasted two or three weeks in the summer. They were so full of shit. It made Mike want to scream it in their faces. He knew how he felt. It must have been strong for his crush and her boyfriend because they went a whole lot longer than two weeks.

As far as Mike knew they were still together when his dad moved the family for the first time.

At the next place he lived. He had another crush. She didn't know who he was either. It was some totally random girl who had told him that.

The following year he was sure he'd fallen in love with a girl that he was also sure he would never forget. Mike had come to realize a few things that year. First, he fell in love too easily. Even if he was sure he would be fully committed to any potential relationship, he seemed to fall for the first pretty girl he saw in school. Next, he was also sure that girls had almost zero interest in him. He was not a jock, he was probably the nerdiest kid within a hundred mile radius. And he obviously didn't have the looks that appealed to girls, they never gave him a second glance. And lastly if his dad's job had them moving around a lot. He was never going to have any kind of serious long term relationship. Not as a teen.

This particular girl he thought he loved, _did_ give him a second look. He had found out through a mutual friend that she actually liked him. Mike didn't really know how to deal with this information. He was unprepared. He ended up asking her out, via the mutual friend, he never talked to her directly. He had never kissed her and never even held hands with her.

He remembered an awkward moment when they were waiting in a line up, and that same random girl had asked those very things, "What, you've never even held hands?"

Mike was embarrassed, his total lack of confidence when it came to girls put him at a disadvantage, he should have walked over and held her hand. Had he thought of it back then he might have.

So everyone knew they were going out. _On paper_ only as Mike liked to think about it, because here was no actual evidence that they were going out. Nobody ever saw them together, but was generally known in school that they were going out.

One of the jocks had asked him if he was going out with her, almost with a hint of jealousy in his voice. She was without a doubt in Mike's mind, the prettiest girl in the school. That seemed to be general knowledge also. And she was Mike's girlfriend. On paper.

What was also on paper was the note she'd written him, that she was breaking up with him. Mike had never read the note. He knew what it was, and just crumpled hit up and threw it in the garbage. It hit him like a ton of bricks. He endured further humiliation when a girl who sat in another row, told him with others listening in, that "she wants to break up with you." It was like they knew he hadn't read the note. Stick in the knife and twist a little bit.

Mike got it the first time, he didn't need to be kicked in the head a second time in as many minutes.

The ironic thing of that particular relationship was, that it lasted three weeks. Just like adults said it would. His next girlfriend he had lasted three months during the summer. He was fortunate enough to be able to hold her hand. And kiss her. His first kiss from a girl. He didn't think her heart was in it though. Not like his was.

He was totally bummed out it only lasted three months, but he there was no heartpain like there was with the girl he was sure he loved.

Mike would carry that pain with him for a long time.

It was his reminder. It was his reminder that if you loved a girl, you needed to be dedicated, faithful to the relationship. To her. You needed to _love_ her. Not just tell yourself that, or throw the word around to your friends or her friends. You needed it to _be_ that.

So Mike made a promise to himself. If he ever felt strongly about a girl again, _that_ strongly, and she returned his love. He would be with her forever. Through thick and thin. All the clichés. No matter what hurdles they encountered. No matter what others said or thought. He would be completely and totally hers. He would often look up to the night sky and promise her that:

"Wherever you are… I promise... I _promise_."

XXXXX

To be fair, maybe she hadn't seen him because school cafeteria was busy, lots of students walking around to get to the tables he was sure they usually sat at.

Why not just go over and sit at her table? He still needed to sit so the worst that could happen is that she didn't talk to him. Well, not smiling at him at all, would be bad. Or she could tell him to go away. There was always that.

What Mike was truly not prepared for was what she actually did.

Mike walked over and trying to be as polite as he could, asked if space beside her was taken.

She looked at him, a little wide eyed. A little puzzled, and finally a blank expression took over her face.

"Go ahead."

Mike sat down arranging his books. "Sorry, I'm, uh, new at this school. I didn't know if you or your friends had this table on a regular basis."

"It's fine. You can sit there." She gathered her books, got up and left.

Mike was stunned. Game over. Thanks for playing.


	2. Eleven

Her name was Eleven. And she was fiercely proud of it.

Yes, she had been given a number for a name, strictly so the bad men could keep track of her like the rest of the humans they treated as lab rats. Yes, they had tattooed it on her wrist so they didn't have to look it up on their clipboards. And yes, they had shaved her head to remove any chance of her attaining her own identity, or her self-respect. Or even feel just a little bit pretty.

But she was Eleven. She cherished the name, so much so that she would only let two people call her that.

One person was her dad. He earned the right to call her Eleven. He found her cold and scared and wet, crying all alone in the woods. He gave her a warm hug, told her she was safe. He had showed her more kindness in thirty seconds then she'd received in almost twelve years of captivity at the lab. He also completed her name.

She became Eleven Hopper. El for short. She was just as proud of her last name as she was her first name.

She also kept her hair just as short as it had been done in the lab. It was her defiance. Before she had been forced to have it buzzed short. Now she did it on purpose, and she wore it as a noble badge of honour, everyone else be damned.

The other person who could call her Eleven, would be the guy she fell in love with. And he would be someone who loved her just as profoundly. It hadn't happened yet. She would know who he was when it did.

They'd spent years at the lab trying to develop her telekinetic ability without success. They had been so short sighted and focused only on their own sick goals that they couldn't see beyond their electronic monitors and wires, their charts and graphs. The graphs went crazy with squiggles, zigzags, sine waves. They completely ignored the obvious.

Eleven wasn't telekinetic. She could _not_ move things with her mind. Sure she tried, just so they would let her sleep on a bed with some food in her belly. She could never move anything.

Eleven was empathetic. She knew what other people were feeling, especially if it was towards her. And she could make people dislike her, fear her, and hate her, although her dad told her that it wasn't safe to do.

She could also make people like her, even love her. She would _never_ do that. Eleven wanted friends or the love she got to be real, not something she had created with a tweak from her mind.

She would never tell any of her real friends . They would think she had forced them to like her. El only made friends when she could tell someone genuinely liked her. The love from her dad came off in waves, it had done that almost from the first time he'd found her. He told her she needed to keep that a secret. She needed to have real friends, and he was still a little wary the lab might want to continue it's experiments if they found her or what she could do.

Max it had taken a little bit longer to be her friend. Max was her best friend. Her only friend. At first Max felt sympathy for El when she saw her short hair. She slowly realized that El sported her short hair in a dignified and sometimes imposing manner. Max grew to like her and they became steadfast friends.

XXXXX

The first day of school El sat at a table in the school cafeteria waiting for Max to show up. They hadn't actually decided where to sit, so one of them would flag down the other when they showed up.

Suddenly, El couldn't catch her breath, her heart was pounding. Her ears started to ring and she felt like she could faint any minute. She knew what the feeling was. Someone in the cafeteria was in love. It was intense, and this person was in pain, a good pain, El thought to herself and smiled. _That_ was exactly the feeling she wanted to get from the guy who loved her.

She was still a little dreamy thinking about it, when someone asked if the space beside her was taken. She looked up at him and she knew her eyes must have gone wide, this was the new boy at school. He had longish shaggy black hair, deep gentle eyes, and a smile that could have derailed a train, and then put it back on the same track, safe. El was smitten with him right away, which she didn't understand that at all. If Eleven was in control of one thing, it was her emotions. Her heart depended on it.

Danger! She immediately tried to make him dislike her so he would go away. It didn't work. Then she tried to make him afraid of her. Most of the time that usually did the trick. Not with this guy. She tried to put on her most uncaring face, and make him maybe hate her a little. It was futile. It didn't work at all.

Finally she said, "go ahead."

She saw him fumble with his books while talking. He said he was new to the school, of course Max and El already knew he was Mike Wheeler. An impossibly nerdy guy, who also happened to be the cutest guy she had ever seen. Eleven! She warned herself, you can't let him sit next to you. You need more to time to find out who he is, how he feels. It's your heart you are protecting here.

She had to get out of there. She was getting weird vibes from him she couldn't explain. Eleven did not like to be out control with her emotions. Or not know exactly what other people were feeling. Her dad always told her it was a defence mechanism to keep her from getting hurt. He told her she couldn't do that forever. She had to experience the bad along with the good. It's what made us human.

Mike Wheeler was going to sit right next to her! She was unable to make him go away. Why was that? Her ability had never failed her before.

"It's fine," she said, "you can sit there." She grabbed her books as quickly as she could, got up and left.

Before she left the room, she took a quick glance back at his stunned, devastated face. El could feel the painful squeeze his heart experienced as if it had been her own. Nobody should be made to feel like that. She knew she was directly responsible. Did he like her? He didn't even know who she was. There was no way he could have any feelings for her. She felt terrible, and ran off to the girls washroom with tears in her eyes.

XXXXX

Max was finishing running a brush through her long red hair in the bathroom. She took one look at El's face and asked what was wrong.

"I think I just made the nicest guy in the school feel like shit."

"Would that be our Mike Wheeler, New Nerd on The Block?"

El nodded her head, not trusting herself to speak again.

"Was he being a jerk to you?… no I guess not if you called him the nicest guy in the school. You've always told me you could tell if people liked you or not, I guess that's why you and I are friends. So do you get any feeling in your bones about him, or whatever is you feel."

"I get something. I can't explain it. I don't even know him."

Max said, "far be it for me to be this eloquent, but maybe you two are lost soulmates who have found finally each other…. Ok too much?" Max grinned.

El just looked at Max about to say something sarcastic, when she remembered the feeling in the cafeteria just before Mike Wheeler had come over to her table. When she was out of breath, her heart pounding. No…. that couldn't be… could it? It was coming from someone else in the room. That person was screaming it out. It disappeared and she certainly didn't get it from Mike when he sat down.

XXXXX

El was a little late to Mr. Clarke's Earth class, and sat at the one free bench that was left. It looked like everyone else already had partners and there was only this one seat left.

A very disheveled Mike Wheeler was the last student to enter the classroom. It looked like he'd been beaten up, a bruise was coming up on his chin. El felt a little sorry for him. He discovered that the seat beside her was empty, and the sadness radiating off of him was heart-rending. She could also feel his embarrassment at having to sit with her. Obviously from when she'd made her rude exit at lunch.

"Sorry," he said not looking at her, "Um, I have to sit here, it's the only seat left. I can uh, maybe trade with someone else if Mr. Clarke will let me for the next class. I'm sure he'll let us pick new partners if you're totally against being mine."

He gave her a quick look before averting his eyes again. When he looked at her she thought her heart had stopped. She couldn't breathe, it was like he'd taken all the air out of the room. With his eyes. That was impossible, of course, but that's what it felt like.

El was now getting mixed feelings from him. For the briefest of seconds there was definitely a conflicted feeling of dislike coming from him. It seemed to disappear as if in apology and then she felt an honest warmth.

Sometimes her ability drove her crazy. It had always been safer to have only one friend. And never a guy friend. They always seemed to have too many hang-ups. They were never honest with her, or themselves for that matter. They could never just be friends with her. So she avoided having them as friends altogether.

Having her hair buzzed short like this was definitely a plus when it came to guys. Turned them off almost immediately. There was the occasional mouthbreather like Troy, she had to put a little fear into. For the most part, she didn't have to worry about the baggage of having guys for friends.

Maybe a guy who really liked her? Who she _knew_ really liked her. It hadn't happened with any of the guys in Hawkins Middle over the last year, she didn't expect this year to be any different. Having a boyfriend was probably not going to happen this year.

She sighed. She was sure Mike Wheeler was not going to be that guy, she'd know it if he was.

He wasn't.


	3. Not Interested

Mike just sat there. He didn't know what to do. Had she kicked him in the knees he could roll around on the floor and howl in pain. What did you do when you were kicked in the heart? Because that's what this girl had just done to him. A heavy sadness enveloped him. He wasn't even mean to her. He thought he was being polite, maybe a little forward asking to sit next to her, but nothing socially unacceptable.

The worst part of the whole incident was that he didn't even find out what her name was. This girl who had taken his breath away moments ago, had said less than ten words to him… just got up and walked out.

He didn't even know her name.

Now he would never been able ask her. He might be able to ask someone else in the school if he ever got any friends. He was already halfway through the day, and the two significant events to mark it were getting beat up by some bully he found out was called Troy. And then total demoralization from the prettiest girl in the school, probably the world.

Mike was still feeling sorry for himself when two guys sat across from him. The curly haired one held out his hand, "I'm the Bard, Dustin Henderson, this is Lucas Sinclair the Ranger, you will be our Paladin."

"Dustin, you don't even know if he actually plays D&D."

Mike perked up and gave him a half smile, "I can be a Dungeon Master, I write a lot of my campaigns from scratch."

Dustin turned to Lucas, "see, I told you. I'd recognize a nerd anywhere."

"So did Troy," Lucas said, "here he comes again."

Troy walked by them and reached over and punched Mike in the jaw.

Dustin and Lucas looked down, there was nothing they could do to help.

"Sorry, you are the new kid target." Dustin said low.

"Second time today." Mike said. "Day just keeps getting better. Hey, we should together some time after school this week and work out some gaming details?"

Dustin had a big grin on his face, "so you'll be our Paladin?"

"That's the class I played in my old school, I'll be your Paladin."

The day was looking up, they all got up after lunch to go to their next class.

It was a teacher named Mr. Clarke, he seemed like a very cool teacher. Mike was late and the last person to enter the class. When he saw her again his heart quickened. Shit, her table was the only one free in the class.

He made his apologies and offered to ask Mr. Clarke to change seats. She was obviously not interested in working with him. Not in talking to him, or telling him her name. Or even being in his presence. He had taken a another look at her before he shifted his eyes away so she wouldn't see. His heart almost imploded. Her eyes were so pretty he felt a little disoriented. He was angry at himself for being so weak. If he could only have a real conversation with her.

And really, talk about what exactly? He knew it would be pointless to talk to her.

Dustin sat in front of them, he turned around and said with a seated bow, "Mi'lady, I see you have met our Paladin."

"Dustin. I'm. Not. Interested. So you can cut that crap out any time this year." She said.

Mike didn't know what had passed between them. He got mad and looked straight at her, his heart trying to punch it's way out of his chest.

"You know what? I don't really care how pretty you are. You don't have any right being a bitch to my friend. To me, sure, I get it, I just asked to sit down. Apparently I had it coming. Punishable by death. But Dustin? I can't believe he's ever been mean to you, I've only known him for an hour and he already comes across as a lot more honourable than you will ever be."

She looked at him shocked and her large round eyes seemed to beg him for forgiveness. Mike was having none of it. There was no doubt in his mind that she would never be his friend… of any kind.

"You know what, I don't even want to get to know you now. I really wanted to this morning. More than anything. Now I don't think I can be anywhere near you. _I'm n_ ot interested."

Mike only barely noticed the dual line of tears racing down her cheeks.

He didn't care anymore. He let loose. "I find it disgusting how some girls can be if you don't measure up to their idea of the perfect guy. Well, screw that. I'm not perfect, I'm never going to be. But I try not to treat people like shit. You have many friends do you? Good, probably all bitches like you. I'm done here. Let me return the favour, this seat is now vacant." Mike got up and walked out of the classroom.

He ran to the bathroom, barely making it before rushing into a stall and throwing up his entire lunch… breakfast too given amount he spewed out.

He walked outside to get some air. He went over to a bench beside the bike rack he used and sat down.

"Ah, shit. Great first day at school Wheeler." Mike had made two friends and made two enemies. One was nothing but an asshole bully. The other just happens to be the prettiest girl in the current sphere of existence. Mike was sure she would now hate him for at least three lifetimes.

Mike had made a pretty girl cry.

There was a special place in hell for guys that did that pretty or not. Mike felt so low he couldn't even cry. Those kind of tears come from the heart and Mike's heart was beyond broken, and most likely beyond healing.

What made him feel even lower if that was possible, was that he was unshaken in his decision. He wanted to be with her forever.

Mike's head was down, he was looking aimlessly at the ground when he felt someone sitting down beside him.

"I heard you called me a bitch."

He looked up to see a pretty redhead, who didn't look happy to see him at all.

"If you're going to punch me, maybe you should ask Troy first, his fist currently owns my face, so…"

"Troy punched you on your first day?"

"Twice. I also made the girl I lo- uh, I made a girl cry today. Called her and all of her friends a bitch… I'm having a great day, how's yours?"

"I'm Max Mayfield, you already met my boyfriend Lucas, and his best friend Dustin." She held out her hand. Mike shook it.

"For the record, I was just sticking up for Dustin."

"And Dustin's girlfriend Stacey already thinks the world of you and she's never met you. Sticking up for her guy. A guy you only knew for an hour."

"Ok, I'm confused, I thought Dustin had a thing for…"

"That's just a game they play, pisses Stacey off, pisses me off. I've told them to cut it out lots of times. But that doesn't change anything. You still need to apologize to my best friend."

Mike snorted rudely. "Hah. That's not going to happen. I screwed up any chance… I, uh, don't think she'd listen to anything I had to say ever again." Mike looked down.

"Don't give up on her." Max said.

"I already told you, way too late for that. Just wasn't meant to happen for me."

"What wasn't?" Max asked.

"Nothing." Mike let out a huge sigh.

XXXXX

Mike finished out the rest of the day without any further incidents, well almost, Troy managed to punch him in the side of his head. It was going to be a bad bruise.

At his locker, Mike wasn't thinking too clearly. He was still a little rattled from Troy's punch. Mike had his head in his locker, his shoulder leaning up against the locker door for support.

He could feel it coming on, his heart thumping in his chest, taking deeper breaths in order to get more air into his lungs. Shit, Mike thought. I think I have a concussion or something.

There was someone at the locker next to his. He took a fast peek to see who it was.

It was her.

She turned to look at him with those beautiful eyes. Eyes that should never, _ever_ see any tears. Mike knew he had caused hers. It was obvious she'd been crying a lot since he'd last seen her in Mr. Clarke's class. His heart was like a jackhammer beneath his ribs. He wasn't taking deep enough breaths. She was so pretty he could barely stand it.

"I'm sorry," was all Mike managed to whisper before his knees buckled and he passed out.


	4. What Friends Are For

Dustin sat in front of them, he turned around and said with a seated bow, "Mi'lady, I see you have met our Paladin."

El decided she wasn't going to be playing that game this year. Max said she didn't like it, and El could see that Dustin and Stacey were getting really serious so it was inappropriate for her to be flirting anymore. She liked Dustin, they were friends. She didn't like him _that_ way.

"Dustin. I'm. Not. Interested. So you can cut that crap out any time this year." As soon as she said it she realized it came across as a little bit too harsh, she was about to apologize.

She was completely taken by surprise when Mike raised his voice against her. He said some awful things. Her heart was pounding in her ears with the intensity coming from Mike. El didn't feel any malice from him, just sadness and defeat coming from him. His emotions overpowered his words. His words still stung but she forgave him instantly after each cruel word. She felt his suffering. She knew he didn't really mean everything he said.

Her eyes pleaded with him to stop. He ignored her and continued on. He finally got up and left.

Once he was out of the of classroom, El got up and ran to the girl's washroom, she went to a corner at the back and crawled up into it and shed her own tears of confusion and frustration.

She eventually quieted to whimpers and that's how her best friend found her.

Max squatted down in front of her. "I'm going to have a word with that asshole. He's not going to be a happy boy when I'm finished talking to him."

"Don't Max. He didn't mean any of it." El said in a muted voice.

"I'm sure he meant it when he said you were pretty. And that he really wanted to get to know you, more than anything." Max raised her eyebrows and grinned.

"He said that?" El ran her hand over her buzzed hair.

El had tried to protect her heart for as long as she could remember. She knew that nobody loved her in the lab. She had spent her childhood years not knowing the love of another person. Early on she had thought that maybe she wasn't worth loving and that's why nobody did.

Her dad had proved her wrong. So completely wrong. She couldn't swallow the lump in her throat thinking about how much her dad loved her.

Every now and then when she had a bad day she was plagued with self-doubt. The feeling that nobody liked her, was almost overpowering. Her two encounters with Mike today, well, the second one anyway, had reinforced it.

He said she was pretty? She ran her hand over he head again. With this hair?

And his eyes. She wouldn't forget his eyes as long as she lived. They had seen love. They had seen pain. Pain he wasn't even aware of . They had seen his heart crushed.

El was wandering in an unknown landscape. On dangerous ground with her emotions. She could try and pretend she was protecting her heart, deathly afraid of having it broken. Or she could just admit it and live with the consequences if it all went to hell.

She was in love with Mike Wheeler.

Not like. Not _like_ like. Love. Simple as that. She wouldn't even try to explain it to anyone. If they didn't get it, she had no time to justify the way she felt.

She had to start trusting more people. Her dad had told her that. He said it was inevitable that someone would betray her, with her ability she'd be able to avoid most of them. But she had to start somewhere. Max was her best friend, El knew she could trust Max with the knowledge of her ability.

"Max, I need to tell you something. It's my secret, and it will explain a lot to you. You have to promise not to tell anyone. Not even Lucas." El was ready to tell Max. A lot, but not everything.

"Ok," Max said.

"Max, I'm not kidding, you need to promise." Max saw that El was really serious.

"I promise, El. I would never break a promise I made to you. Let's go outside, I don't want anyone eavesdropping on something this important to you."

XXXXX

Max sat and tried to digest everything that El had told her. "So why don't you just use your ability on Mike and get it over with?"

El just stared at Max with a blank look. She tried very carefully to explain how she felt about her ability. She was a little exasperated,

"Max, were you listening to _anything_ I just said?"

"No, I get it El, but in this case you could just bypass all that angst of who likes who, and move on."

"Move on to what? A fake relationship I created? That's not going to work Max. I would be living a lie. And so would Mike if he really didn't love me. That's the worst thing thing I can think of. I'd rather be lonely forever than do that."

"El? You're lonely? You could have any guy you wanted in Hawkins Middle."

"I don't want just any guy Max… " A single tear refreshed itself and rolled down her cheek, "I want Mike. I can't make him love me… I mean I can, but I won't. What's wrong with me? How can I fall in love in one day? It doesn't make any sense."

"Maybe my soulmate comment, isn't that far off? Maybe you didn't fall in love in one day. Maybe it's been years, centuries even." Max grinned.

"You don't believe that…?" El said looking down.

"You just told me something I know to be true... I don't know, I believe in _you_. If you feel this strongly, I believe you. I've never seen you this weepy before. The El Hopper I know could be a stone cold bitch- uh, sorry El, I didn't mean it that way."

El nodded, "It's ok Max, I know what you meant. I keep telling myself I've been protecting my heart. My dad has been telling me for awhile that my first boyfriend was not going to last very long. He would probably dump me in two or three weeks. He would break my heart. My dad said I would get over it, cry myself to asleep for a few nights. Eventually I'd move on and get another boyfriend."

"That sounds like a cycle of misery, I don't blame you for wanting to avoid that."

"I don't want Mike to be part of that cycle either. I don't want to be with him for a month and then, that's it. He might be done with me, but… I won't be. I can't be. I want to be with him forever."

"Don't say stuff like that El, the chances of you being with Mike long term, are slim to none. Guys have wandering eyes. Even if you go to bed with him, you'd only extend that for a few weeks, maybe months while he used you, but not much longer."

El had turned red, "We haven't even held hands yet, and now you have me sleeping with him just to hold on to him a little longer? I will _never_ do that Max. You know me better than that. You aren't making this relationship thing sound like any fun. How have you and Lucas been together this long. It doesn't fit with your explanation,"

"That one's easy, El. Lucas and I love each other… hmm, ok, I get your point. Maybe you and Mike do have something special that will last."

"I really hope so… " El said wistfully. "I'm skipping my last class. Gym class anyway, I don't feel like going. You can say I'm sick in the washroom or something."

"If you're not going, I'm not going, you are my badminton partner, I'd be just standing around or worse yet the teacher would put me on keeping score duty or something."

They continued to talk, till the last class was finished. The warmth of friendship El could feel coming from Max, made her heart glad. She told Max this, and Max blushed. "That would be the best part of your ability El, knowing a real friend. Wish I could feel that."

"Max, I can do that for you." El concentrated, she used a part of her ability she'd never really used before. She was able to project her feeling of friendship for Max onto her.

Max wiped her eyes. "Thanks El, nobody has ever done anything remotely as kind for me. You really are my best friend."

XXXXX

When El went to her locker, she could see Mike had his open and he almost looked like he was trying to crawl in, his head had almost disappeared inside his locker.

Her heart started thumping and her breathing deepened. Was this her own feeling or was she getting it from Mike? It was intoxicating. She didn't feel like she was getting enough air.

She tried to concentrate arranging her books in her locker. Holding on to the locker door to keep herself steady.

She turned to Mike with the intention of explaining what had happened in Mr. Clarke's class. But when she saw his eyes, her entire vocabulary left her. She wouldn't have been able to speak anyway. Her knees felt weak, she was going to have to sit down or fall down.

It was all compounded by the sadness breaking like waves from him. She was going to faint.

Mike said, "I'm sorry," and she could see his eyes roll up into his head as he started to collapse. El's quick thinking managed to keep him from banging his head on the locker or the floor.

"Shit. Shit. Shit," She could hear Dustin. Along with Lucas and Max, they were running up to help her.

The four them managed to get Mike to the nurses station at the school, El stayed with him on the gurney in an examination room.

She could still feel the sadness pouring out of him, although it was heavily muted. El was sure it was because he was unconscious.

She held his hand in both of hers. Kissing the back of his hand. She cried freely, she didn't care who saw or heard.

Her heart replaced the tears in her eyes as fast as they spilled out, slid down her cheeks and sprinkled the back of Mike's hand.


	5. Unconditional

Mike's first sensation was the hot spatters against the back of his hand.

His next sensation was that same hand being held firmly by two smaller hands.

His eyes fluttered open.

He saw her, and it explained his third sensation. Her full lips were pressed against the back of his hand. He could see it was her tears that had awoken him, flowing unbidden from her eyes.

His heart started hammering, his breathing deepened. He didn't want to pass out again. He was scared. He didn't know what was wrong with him.

And then he did. It was clear to him now, maybe he always knew, but his brain would not let him admit what his heart had already known.

Mike gave her a weak smile. His voice was unsteady, "I love you… and… I uh… I don't even know your name."

"My name is Eleven."

Her eyes squeezed shut, forcing even more tears to flow down her cheeks. She sobbed, pressing her lips softly against his hand, she breathed, "my name is Eleven, Mike."

A nurse came in at that moment, looked at El holding onto Mike's hand for dear life.

"Are you the girlfriend that brought him in?"

"Yes," Both Mike and Eleven said at the same time.

"Ok, your friends filled out the forms, so you don't have to later. I'm going to take your blood pressure and pulse, ask you some questions." She affixed a blood pressure cuff to Mike, and pumped the rubber bulb.

"Ok, BP a little elevated, no surprise there…. Pulse… very elevated. You passed out?"

Mike saw Eleven nodding.

"Do you have any idea why?"

Mike turned red and nodded, the nurse gave him a questioning look, "...and?"

Mike started to stammer, "um, uh, the girl I love is, um, so pretty, I, uh, was a little overwhelmed."

The nurse, was filling out a a chart on a clipboard, looked over her glasses at the two of them shaking her head.

"Ok, I know what the problem is." Mike and Eleven looked at her expectantly. Their hands had merged tightly.

"You two have it bad. Simple as that. I don't think I've ever seen any two people more in love than you two. A little concerning for your age, but it happens. How long have you been going out?"

Mike and Eleven looked at each other, "ten minutes?" He offered. She nodded.

The nurse shook her head, "No... if you seek the answer from your soul... it's much much longer." The nurse's whole attitude became very melancholy.

Suddenly she was all business.

"Get out of here you two, nothing medical science can do for you here…. There is one thing..."

Both Mike and Eleven waited for her parting words.

"Be true to each other. You will never go wrong if you are true."

Their entwined hands were one. As they walked out to the waiting room to join their friends.

Max saw their hands, and then found she had something in her eye and hand to leave immediately, she pulled Lucas along behind her.

Dustin watched and turned his attention back to Mike and Eleven. Gave a low sweeping bow,

"Ah, it's true then, Mi'lady has fallen in love with our Paladin. Yes?

"Yes," Eleven said with an impetuous conviction, "she has."

"And our Paladin returns her devotion with his own?"

"He does," Mike said honorably, continuing with Dustin's role-playing..

"Well, shit. you two are going to be together forever. Sorry about this morning, El. I won't do it again."

"It's ok, Dustin, Mike didn't know our little game, still doesn't, but I'll will let him in on it."

Dustin looked back and forth between Mike and El. "you two have a lot to talk about."

Mike walked with her outside where she waited for her ride.

"Dustin called you 'El' short for Eleven?" El nodded. "Do your friends ever call you by your full name?"

"They don't know it."

"They don't know your name is Eleven?"

"No. Only you and my dad can call me that. It's personal."

"Oh, um, ok. Do you want me to call you El when we're all together?

"No Mike, I am Eleven for you. I will _always_ be Eleven for you."

Mike smiled at her shyly. "You are making me feel special… I'm not used to that."

"You are special to me, Mike. I'll try to make you feel that way everyday."

Eleven gave him a penetrating look with her eyes that might have made him feel uncomfortable, it would have if he didn't love her as much as he did.. She _did_ make him feel special. It felt good to know that someone else was thinking about him… loved him even.

Mike was overcome by a single emotion. He put his hands on her shoulders, as he leaned in, her face turned up to him in response. Mike gave her a soft lingering kiss.

Eleven whispered against his mouth. "Thank you Mike" Fresh teardrops formed in her eyes. "You are my first kiss."

Mike could see a truck making its way to their location.

Eleven smiled brightly and said, "you're lucky day, you get a girlfriend, _and_ you get to meet her dad."

Mike froze, he hadn't been expecting that. He hadn't even thought about it. The hand that was holding Eleven's was suddenly clammy.

"Relax," she said. "He's just a big teddy bear."

"A teddy bear with a gun and a badge." Mike tried to ignore the feeling of dread that had started in his stomach.

When the truck stopped. Chief Jim Hopper's six foot two, imposing frame stepped out. Eleven ran over to him and hugged his middle the side of her face buried in his chest, her eyes were closed. Hopper kissed the top of her head closing his eyes also.

Mike was almost embarrassed at the display of affection. It would come natural to Eleven of course, but Hopper was known as a fair but no bullshit kind of guy. He was showing a side himself that Mike was sure was reserved only for his daughter.

Eleven waved him over, and Mike trotted over to where they stood.

Hopper looked him over his, eyes almost calculating under his brow. He looked at his daughter was looking at Mike. He nodded as if he had confirmed something, then he said, "does he know?"

"Not yet Dad, tomorrow. Max knows. It was time."

Hopper nodded and looked back at Mike. "Pack a bag. You're going camping tomorrow night. I'll clear it with your parents."

XXXXX

There was only comfortable silence as Hopper drove back to the cabin. Finally he said, "he's the one?"

"He's the one, Dad." Eleven leaned her against the door window. She smiled and sighed.

"His name is Mike Wheeler."

"I know who he is." Hopper knew his daughter could have done much, much worse.

XXXXX

The next morning Eleven was leaning up against her locker, waiting for Mike.

"Excuse me miss, have you seen my really pretty girlfriend anywhere?" Mike said almost blushing at his new found boldness.

"Pick up lines like that will get you kisses everytime Mike." She turned her face up to him, eyes closed, waiting for the kiss.

"Eleven." He sighed and kissed her gently.

They were in home room, when, before the regular morning announcements started, a serious male voice over the school PA system said, "Would Miss El Hopper come to the Principal's office please, Miss El Hopper."

Mike could see Eleven's head pop up and look around, her eyes were wild, and she looked panic stricken. It had been Mike's experience that being called to the Principal's office usually meant one thing, you were being taken out of school because of a family emergency. In El's case, he it must be the chief.

She doesn't know what to do, Mike thought. He immediately got up and went to her desk. He whispered, "I'll go with you. I'll be with you."

XXXXX

Mike witnessed Eleven slowly tuning out, she had been silent when the same nurse they had seen yesterday said that the Chief had been taken to the hospital, that he was in critical condition, and it didn't look good.

The information hadn't sunk in yet. . Mike would be there for her when the tears touched her eyes.

The nurse was driving them directly to the hospital.

XXXXX

Eleven was pacing aimlessly in the empty waiting room reserved for families outside of the operating room.

She turned to him, "Mike? He can't be… gone. I was just talking to him this morning… he saved me… he can't be gone. I will have no one left who loves me."

Her eyes were lost… devastated . "What will I do… who will love me?"

Mike fell in love with each painful worry etching itself on her face.

A nurse and a surgeon came out into the waiting room, both had solemn expressions on their faces, "I'm sorry, miss… we did everything we could."

Eleven nodded and hung her head. Mike could hear the heavy teardrops hitting the floor from where he stood.

He came up behind her and hugged her, his forearm across her collarbone, his temple resting just behind her ear.

"I will Eleven." Mike whispered. "You still have me, I will take care of you. I will love you forever. Longer than forever. _I_ will."

"Promise?" Eleven's said, her voice was lost, haunted.

" _Promise_."


	6. Chapter 6

Eleven only had to ask, and Mike would have held on to her there in the room until time itself had ended. She turned around and buried her face into his neck. Her heart had disintegrated, it was beyond broken. Beyond demolished.

Mike knew one undeniable truth. He had enough love to give Eleven to get her through this. He would dedicate his entire life to making her eyes smile again. Mike realized that he loved Eleven so completely he would die for her. No questions asked. He was a little frightened at the intensity of this new knowledge. He was resolute in his understanding. He held her a little tighter, and she returned in kind.

There was a commotion in the hallway, a figure burst in and said "what are you two doing here?"

Eleven's head shot up and her eyes widened in confusion. Countless emotions played across her face. She managed a breathy "Dad?" before she went limp in Mike's arms.

Hopper rushed over to take Eleven from his arms. Mike was stunned.

"What happened?" Hopper growled.

"We were just told you were… gone," Mike had turned numb. "She was so lost..." Mike sniffed, he wanted to stay strong for Eleven.. "Seeing you… alive… must have been too much."

Mike was allowed to go with Eleven as she was taken to an examination room and laid down. He held her hand in both of his. His lips pressed to the back of her hand. She had been unresponsive when a nurse tried to revive her.

"Please, Eleven… wake up." Mike's heart could no longer hold his tears and they dropped unchecked from his eyes on to her hand.

"I can't lose you, not now."

Mike heard her small voice, quiet and true, "You won't lose me."

She sat up and pulled Mike into a crushing hug. "Is he really…?"

"Alive Eleven, he's trying to find out what happened."

Her breath hitched and the floodgate of tears let go.. Her sobbing was mournful. She was struggling with the highs and lows. She needed the release.

XXXXX

The ride back was somber. Mike and Eleven were in the back seat, she was curled up to his side, sleeping peacefully.

"So what happened Sir?"

"Mistake. Someone put my name in the wrong box on a form. I went from an accident witness to an accident victim. Domino effect from there."

"Thanks for bringing me along… I need to be with her. I don't understand why you told me yesterday to pack for camping."

"There are things you need to know Wheeler, if you're going to be with my daughter. Some things, one really bad thing."

"She's not…" Mike could barely make himself say it, "dying… is she?"

"Nothing like that. You two can be together for as long as you want."

"Forever." Mike said.

"What?"

"We are going to be together forever Sir. You'll see."

Mike was surprised that Hopper hadn't challenged him on that. Teenage romances being what they were. As a matter of fact, Hopper hadn't said _anything_ negative towards Mike about their relationship. Nothing directly, not even hinted at at. Hopper wasn't anything like what Mike had imagined he would be.

XXXXX

Eleven woke up when she felt the truck come to a stop. She looked up at Mike, "Mike?"

"You're dad, brought us home… although I didn't think you lived in the middle of the woods," he chuckled. "Now I see why I needed to pack for camping."

"We're safe here." She said. Mike nodded. Eleven being safe, gave him great peace of mind.

When Eleven was out of the truck, she gave Hopper a long hug. Mike looked at the ground, he had never hugged either of his parents with that kind of sentiment.

Eleven came back to Mike and grabbed his hand. She held his hand tightly as they walked. Mike had no idea where they were going.

Stepping over the tripwire, was new for Mike. It gave him an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. What was going on with Eleven? Was it serious enough that she needed this kind of protection? Suddenly Mike felt that he wouldn't be able to protect her if he really needed to. It weighed on him with each step he took.

"Mike? Something wrong?" Eleven could tell right away he was down.

"How did I think I could protect you, or take care of you? I just stepped over a tripwire. I wouldn't have thought of anything like that."

Eleven place his hand over her heart. "You would be protecting this, Mike. That's all I need for you to protect. You said you loved me… I feel safe with you. Even if dad... " she looked down, "...was gone, I know you would have stood by me. Mike, you did more for me today than you will ever know." She stopped and put her arms around his neck, and gave him a much harder, longer kiss.

Hopper broke it up by saying, "we're here."

Mike was looking at a small cabin. They were standing in the middle of nowhere. "You live here?" He said looking at Eleven.

"We do," she said. "It's quiet and safe."

Once inside the cabin, Hopper looked at the both of them. "El, Mike needs to know, today… and if he decides it's too much, I can take him back home.

Mike looked back and forth between them, "too much of what?"

Eleven grabbed his hand and took him to her room and closed the door. Mike looked back at the door, and said, "uh, you have a boy in your room with the door closed… your dad's ok with that?"

"We have an understanding. Sit."

She sat on the floor lotus style, and Mike said down across from her his legs crossed, their knees barely touching. She grabbed his hands.

"Do you love me?" Eleven asked, suddenly nervous that the answer might be different.

"You know I do." Mike said looking into her eyes.

She grinned, "yes, but I really like hearing you say it. This will be hard for you to hear… there isn't anyway way to make this easier. Mike, I was kept in a lab for psychic experiments."

"But they let you out after a few hours right?" The concern was evident in his voice.

Eleven shook her head.

"A few days?"

She shook her head again…

"No? ...how long."

"Over ten years." And that's when Mike started crying.

Eleven she leaned over awkwardly and hugged him, waiting for him to settle down.

"What kind of experiments, " Mike said his voice quiet.

"They were testing my telekinetic abilities."

Mike's eyes widened, "you're telekinetic? That's incredible."

"I'm not telekinetic Mike… I'm still going to have to do your laundry by hand." She gave him a shy smile.

"But why keep you so long if you couldn't move anything with your mind?"

"The equipment they had me plugged into showed them results they wanted to see. I have an ability… just not what they thought… I'm em… empathetic. I know what people are feeling if I concentrate."

"You know what they're thinking?"

"Just what they're feeling Mike. I have to concentrate… but if someone really likes me I know right away. I've never had to concentrate with my dad, Max… or you. I know what you are feeling most of the time. Does it… bother you?" Eleven's voice got very small.

"Does it… change the way you feel about me?"

"No. You know that when I tell you I love you, even more now. I don't even have to say it." Mike said smiling in wonder.

"You don't have to say it, but I like it when you do, Mike." Her smile was infectious " The feeling I get from you is in… intoxicating. My heart races, I breathe faster."

"That is a gift Eleven. To be able to feel someone's love for you, that's just amazing."

"There are other parts of my ability, I can make people like me, or not like me. And I can do something else. I've only done this for my dad and Max. I can make you feel what I do Mike. You want to know how much I love you?"

Mike could no longer breathe, his heart stopped and started about a thousand times. His ears were ringing. Mike was completely overcome, he asked through his tears, "Is… is that what you get from me?" Eleven nodded with tears of her own.

"You are amazing Eleven. You are my girlfriend, I can't even believe I get to say that, you are my girlfriend and you are amazing. I love you. More than anything. I love you. I love you. I love you. I hope this is coming through on your wavelength" Mike gave her shaky laugh.

Eleven burst into tears. At that moment, Mike loved her even more. When she started sobbing uncontrollably he moved behind her and gave her a tight hug.

"I _will_ love you forever Eleven. I think I always have."


	7. When the Heart Knows

Eleven wanted to take a shower to freshen up after the emotional upheaval she'd gone through. Mike had taken the opportunity to talk to Hopper.

"Mike?" Her voice sounded worried.

Mike went back to her room.

"I can feel that you are nervous Mike. _Really_ nervous. Is everything ok?"

Mike looked down and nodded, "um, Eleven?"

"What is it Mike?"

"Will you marry me?"

Eleven's eyes turned to saucers, and then she gave Mike the kindest, gentlest smile he would ever see on her face, she said softly, "Mike, we're too young. There's isn't any way they are going to let us get married."

Mike was still looking at the floor, "I know we have wait until we're at least seventeen… I know that… but…"

She rushed into his arms her heart fresh full of tears. "Yes, Mike, I will marry you." Mike hugged her tightly. He had no intention of letting go.

"Eleven, " he breathed, "I will love you forever."

XXXXX

They walked out to where Hopper was sitting at the table reading a paper. He looked up over the paper at his daughter.

"Did you say yes?

She looked wide eyed at Mike. Mike looked back sheepishly, "I asked your dad for your hand in marriage. Too corny?"

"I said yes dad." She turned and threw her arms around Mike kissing his face repeatedly.

"I figured." Hopper rolled his eyes. "I will sign the consent paperwork in two years, Wheeler you have that long to convince at least your mother to sign. You need to show her what I already know. I can talk to her too, if you don't think she gets it."

"Thank you Sir."

"That's another thing, can we stop with the Sir? Just call me chief or something, will you."

"Sorry, S- uh, Chief."

"So you can stay the weekend, but you sleep on the couch, you're not married yet."

Mike nodded red faced.

"I have to go back to the station, Eleven doesn't have to go back to school today. Parent's prerogative. You two will be ok here?"

They both nodded.

XXXXX

They walked hand in hand around the woods close to the cabin. By mid afternoon Eleven could feel the fear rippling from Mike.

"What are you afraid of Mike? We're safe out here. Nobody but dad even knows where _out here_ is."

"Two things." Mike said slowly, "I know you said you'd marry me… that's at least two years away minimum. You may feel entirely differently then, that's two years of new students in Hawkins. You could meet someone else you'd fall in love with... the other thing," Mike's voice got really quiet.

"I'm not sure you love me, as much as I love you, I mean I felt what you sent, but-"

Mike was knocked backwards off his feet. He couldn't breath. He couldn't even gasp for a breath. . The wind had been knocked out of him entirely. He couldn't hear. He could barely move, he was almost paralyzed. He felt light headed, ready to faint any second. His mouth was dry like it had been filled with cotton. His heart was pounding out of his chest he was sure the beating could be seen through his sweater.

He was scared. Mike thought he his life was ending. He was going to die without having any more precious time with Eleven. The thought brought on an infinite sadness…. losing Eleven.

Eleven, was by his side in seconds. Her voice sounded distant, he had difficulty hearing her through the ringing in his ears. Her voice hitched through her sobbing, "I'm sorry, Mike. _That's_ what I feel for you. I had to… keep it lighter… this morning. I was afraid you'd find it too much. I didn't hold back this time."

Mike gave her a crushing hug. Eleven squeezed back, afraid to lose her grip on him.

She helped him stand, he was a little unsteady on his feet. She put his arm around her neck, and held on to his waist, walking him back to the cabin.

When she had him settled on the sofa back in the cabin, she sat close beside him, her head hung low. Her voice mostly a whisper, "I didn't mean to hurt you Mike. I wanted you to know how I really felt. It's been like that from the first day I saw you. I'm very sorry."

"I will never doubt you again, Eleven. My insecurities got the better of me."

Mike put his hand on her cheek, and gently turned her face to his, he looked into her eyes, getting lost in them. "Eleven."

"I will love you forever." He pulled her into a full, soft kiss. Listening to her contented sigh against his mouth.

Mike Wheeler was in love with the most gentle, beautiful girl in the world. And if that wasn't enough, what was even more unbelievable, impossible to fathom…

Eleven was in love with him.


	8. 17

"Mike, you're makin' me look bad man." Lucas told his best friend.

"How am I doing that?"

"Max sees the way you and El are, she wants that for us."

"You love her right?"

"More than anything," Lucas said.

"Then you tell her. Every day. And you show her. Every day."

"You tell El you love her every day?" Lucas said. He didn't quite believe Mike.

"Every day, without fail. If I don't see her, I make sure to call. The chief gave us both good radios, 'cause my mom's always on the phone, or Nancy is. I kiss Elev-El every time I see her the first time in the day, and the last time I see her in the day."

Eleven came up to them talking at the bike rack. Mike stopped talking and hugged her, then gave her a lingering kiss. "I will love you forever." He whispered into her ear.

She looked up into his eyes, her own twinkling back her love for Mike. She was no longer able to keep her feelings from being sent to him, he'd had a hard time adjusting. Every time he told her he loved her, he felt an overpowering wave that would rock him back on his heels.

Lucas saw the interaction and shook his head. Five minutes ago he could have sworn he loved Max that much. But after seeing Mike and El together, he wasn't so sure. Those two had something really special, a cosmic special. He was sure of his feelings for Max. He didn't know if Max felt the same way.

XXXXX

The first time Michael had introduced his girlfriend to Karen Wheeler, she was struck by a few things right away. The pretty girl's eyes were quite remarkable, they were bright and honest, and clearly in love with her son. She saw the extremely short hair, but she saw that the girl wore it proudly. Karen was sure the girl was unlikely to ever grow it long.

Karen sighed, young romance, it would be sad to see these two move on to others after two or three weeks. Her son asked her if his girlfriend, her name was El, could stay for dinner.

After three weeks, they were unchanged. Michael invited her, Holly had completely fallen in love with El. Nancy had too, El was a girl that was very hard not to like. Jim had done an amazing job raising her after her rescuing her.

After six months, Karen could see that El wasn't just sweet on her son, she was in love. It was obvious they were deeply in love. So it wasn't a big shock when Michael had asked her. "Mom, I asked Elev-El to marry me."

He had held up his hands, " I know, I know, we have to wait until we are seventeen, we both know that, we are counting the days."

"Michael, you two are very young, why tell me if you two have already set your minds to it?

"Because you need to sign the consent form for me, to legally marry El." El had looked at Karen with those eyes.

"Sweetie, your dad will never sign those forms."

"He's already told us he would. We're just waiting until it's time… and for you to sign for Mike. Please Mrs. Wheeler."

"We'll see, when the time comes."

When the girl burst into tears, Michael had quickly taken her in his arms to comfort her. "It's ok, Eleven. I will wait with you until we are eighteen." Karen felt like the biggest piece of shit imaginable.

Mike didn't ask again. Karen Wheeler was certain that was the day she had lost her son. He continued to invite El over for dinner, but they were solemn the entire time. El remained very polite, a testament to the respect she had for Mike's family.

XXXXX

  


One day when they were sixteen, Max sat across from El, still her best friend, at a table in the food court at the mall. Max and Lucas were no longer going out. El was trying to find out what had happened.

"He was too clingy. It was getting to the point I couldn't breathe around him."

"It's because he loves you Max."

"Don't you find Mike too clingy? He never leaves you alone."

"I don't want him to. When we are married I will never leave his side, Max. Never. I guess that's the difference. Remember the day I showed you what our friendship felt like?"

Max's face softened, "I think of that almost every day."

"Mike takes my breath away, and I know he feels the exact same way about me." El's voice had gone all dreamy. Max just rolled her eyes at her.

"If Mike is anywhere near me, I know, I can _feel_ his love, Max. And I no longer need to send the way _I_ feel to Mike. I can't control that anymore. It just happens. I love him so much it just hurts... he's on his way over here now."

Max looked at El in wonder.

In a minute or so Mike sat down and placed two deserts in front of them." Two overloaded sugar somethings for the ladies. I'm not sure about Max, but I know Eleven can't get any sweeter, so she should be ok eating this."

Eleven beamed at him.

"Did Mike just call you Eleven?"

Eleven could see the smile on Mike's face disappear and and panicked look set in, she could feel his shame coming through. She put an hand on his arm, "It's Ok Mike."

She turned back to Max. "El is short for Eleven. Only my dad and Mike call me that. Only you three know about my ability. Sorry Max, I'm El to you."

"It's ok, El, I totally get it. Lucas tried to call me Maxine once. It didn't take. He knows not to now."

"He misses you," Mike said.

"I see the way you two are with each other, and I miss him too." Max sighed, "Clingy isn't so bad I guess, not from somebody who loves you. At one point Lucas told me he loved me every day. And I treated him like shit."

"It's not too late to change any of that Max," El said.

XXXXX

Mike turned seventeen a few weeks before Eleven did. It was a somber occasion. He opted not to spend it with his family but with Eleven and Hopper instead.

They had some alone time before Hopper got off work.

"Mike," Eleven said, "Your mother is going to think you are punishing her for not signing the paperwork. You know that right?"

Mike gave a heavy sigh, "yeah I know. I can't pretend I'm happy about it. I want to spend the rest of my life _with_ you. Wake up with you every morning. Instead, of, let's face it Eleven. sneaking around behind our parents' backs."

She was blushing, "I can wait Mike, we can married next year."

They could hear Hopper's knock, Eleven went to unlock the door.

"Happy Birthday, good news." Hopper looked at Mike, handed him a folder.

Mike opened the folder and read. "She signed?" He couldn't believe it.

The chief, tried to be gruff, with his explanation, "I may have been a little emotional when talking about Eleven's happiness and where you fit in to that. She didn't hesitate. Her main concern was where you two would live."

Mike said, "I've already been saving for rent in a bachelor's apartment. It will be big enough for Eleven and I. We don't care we just want to be together all the time."

"Hell with that Wheeler, you two can have this place, I'll go back to the lake, having this one out of my hair will be its own reward." He nodded towards his daughter.

"Dad!" Eleven swatted him on the arm.

"I don't know what to say, chief… um thanks."

"So you've already told me you want a small wedding… any idea where?"

Eleven looked down, "Where you found me dad, that exact spot."

Hopper coughed, got up and walked out of the cabin.

"That's going to be hard on him, Eleven."

"If he hadn't found me there, none of this would even be possible. It has to be there, Mike."

"Ok. Um, I guess I should tell you what your birthday present is going to be then."

"Mike?"

"We're going to get married that day."


	9. Vows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter to finish off the story.

The forest was alive. It was going to witness two hearts becoming one.

"Mike and El have something they need to say to each other."

Mike looked at Eleven, tears already streaming down his face.

"Eleven, before I met you my heart was hollow. You did something so simple that I am lost and amazed thinking about it. You filled it with your love. And you did so with no expectations of my ever giving it back, but I do Eleven, I give it all back, and much much more. I will love you forever. I promise."

Eleven's eyes shimmered and could not contain her own tears.

"You accepted my love absolutely and unconditionally, and then… and then you returned it. I was broken, I didn't think I could ever be mended. My heart was lost. Now, standing here in this very spot, I find my heart has been saved twice. Once by my dad, and now by you. You gave my heart a home. I will love you forever Mike. I promise."

The rest of the small ceremony went quickly, and finally the words:

"You may kiss the bride."

The kiss that Mike and Eleven shared would endure in their souls forever.

Longer than forever.


End file.
